Closer
by je t'adore
Summary: It was all they had ever wanted.....EO
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: An EO of course...Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I am not Dick Wolf and do not own this show or any of its characters (sadly...)**

Elliot looked at the illuminated clock numbers on the dash in front of them and let out a yawn.

He turned his head to his partner in the passenger side of their unmarked sedan who gave him a sympathetic smile.

She knew exactly how he felt.

They had been sitting in the same car, parked on the same street with the same cups of cold coffee for four hours straight, watching a dark apartment building that had showed no signs of activity since the twenty-something uniforms had left earlier that night.

Elliot could think of about five thousand other things he would rather be doing at 3:45am on a Saturday morning, but he knew this was part of his job. Not a part he particularly enjoyed, but a stakeout was a stakeout and if it meant catching the bad guy, it had to be done.

'I really don't know why we are even her, Liv. It's pointless, I mean, our guys not dumb. Like he's gonna come back here when he saw fifty black and whites parked out the front twelve hours earlier'

'Fifty?' Olivia questioned teasingly, a smile playing at her lips.

'You know what I mean!' He shot back, winding down the window to empty out the cold contents of his coffee cup onto the ground.

'It's not like he's a genius. He did leave DNA evidence on the body, Elliot. The body that he didn't even think to move from his own home' Olivia pointed out, referring to the hairs CSU had found on their latest victim and the location it was in.

'Everybody is not a cop, Olivia. Everybody does not think like a cop' He snapped, crossing his arms and coldly fixing his gaze on the empty street ahead.

Silence reigned for a few minutes before Elliot turned to face his partner again, letting out another sigh.

'I'm sorry, Liv' He spoke softly. 'I've just really let this case get to me, you know'

She did know. Two children found dead in a space of one week. The first floating face-down in the Hudson and the second where their investigation had lead them, the house of suspect number one Rodger Phelps and the very house they where now sitting in front of.

'There was nothing we could have done, Elliot. That kid was history the minute he Phelps walked into his life and there was nothing we could have done to know' Olivia spoke soothingly.

'I…..we pulled him in to early. Let him know we were on to him. If we had left it till we had something concrete…' He trailed off.

'No, Elliot. We did our job. We had no idea the bastard was stashing Simon at his apartment. We though he was in Philly with his mother, there was no way we could have known'

Elliot and Olivia had picked up Rodger as soon as they suspected him in the murder of his Step-Son. What they didn't know was that the victim's younger brother, a witness to the slaying of his sibling, was also in the custody of his Step-Dad and soon after they were made to cut Phelps loose, he was found murdered too.

'I guess you're right' Elliot replied before a familiar voice crackled over the two-way on the dash.

'Stabler, Benson, anything?' The Captain asked, eager for something to lead them to their missing suspect, Phelps.

Olivia picked up the radio.

'Sorry Cap, nothing here. Lab got anything yet?'

'Munch and Fin are down there now, thank God it's open all night. I think it's time for you guys to come in. I'll post a couple of uniforms in case he shows tomorrow, but I doubt he will'

'Okay. See you in about 20' Olivia replied before replacing the radio and letting out an exhausted yawn.

'Starbucks?' Elliot asked, turning the key in the ignition of the car.

'You bet' Olivia replied, stretching her arms up in the air. 'Three am sounds like the perfect time for one of those muffins with the little sprinkles on it'

Elliot couldn't help but notice how great she looked even though neither of them had slept in about two days.

_Stop it! Just stop! _

He gave himself a mental slap across the face.

'Sure' he said, smiling warmly. 'Lets go'


	2. Chapter 2

_It was dark._

_All around her was dark._

_She tried to scream, tried to call for help, but nothing came out._

_Running. _

_Now she was running. She didn't know where or what she was running from._

_All she knew was that she had to get away._

'Olivia!'

Her eyes shot open.

Looking around, it took her a few moments to fully recall where she was and who was saying her name.

'Livia! We caught a break!' the voice said softly.

Olivia was in the cribs, Elliot leaning over her, his hand gently shaking her shoulder.

'Wh…what time is it?' she asked, rubbing her eyes.

'Nine. In the morning'

She quickly sat up, pushing off the blankets swinging her legs over the side of the cot.

'Eight? How long have I been asleep?' She demanded in an alarmed tone, pulling on her shoes from beside the bed.

Elliot stood up and crossed his arms, a brief look of amusement crossing his face at the current confused state of his partner.

'Since bout' 5'

She remembered. Early in the morning, after their rather unproductive stakeout, Olivia had dragged herself into the cribs on Elliot's insistence to catch a few hours sleep.

'What? Why didn't you wake me up? Cragen's gonna be pleased to know I was sleeping while everyone else was hunting down Phelps'

'Relax, Liv! We've been going for two days straight on nothing but caffeine' Elliot reasoned. 'Besides, you looked_ so_ cute sleeping….' he added in a teasing tone.

Olivia threw a pillow at his head.

'Great' she cried sarcastically, throwing her hands dramatically in the air 'Elliot watches me while I'm sleeping. Coz that's not creepy or anything!'

'Hey! I slept, too! I do have better things to do with my time than stalk you, Olivia' He retaliated, throwing the pillow back down onto the cot.

'Very funny, Elliot. So are you going to tell me what's going on with the case or are we going to exchange meaningless banter for the rest of the morning?'

'Warner's got something for us down in the morgue. Says it's urgent'

Olivia nodded. She knew he was referring to their latest victim, the little brother of the first.

She stood up and collected her badge, gun and cell from the night-table next to her.

'Okay, just give me five and I'll be down' she informed Elliot as she walked briskly towards the bathroom.

'Sure thing' he replied.

'Oh, and Olivia!' Elliot called, pausing in the frame of the door on his way out.

'Yeah?'

'Did you know you drool?'

'STABLER!'

Elliot grinned to himself as he walked down the stairs and into the chaos below that was the 16th precinct.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'I hoped you'd be quick' Doctor Warner stated as Elliot and Olivia walked through the door and into the cold, sterile surrounds of the morgue.

'What've you got?' Olivia questioned, straight to the point as usual.

'Something I didn't expect. Take a look at this' Warner replied, motioning the pair over to the lifeless body of a child on the stainless-steel gurney in the centre of the room.

'At first glance, I didn't expect to find anything unusual apart from the massive blunt force trauma to the back of the head'

'I think it's fairly apparent that was the C.O.D' Elliot said in a grim tone, bending down to get a better look.

'Well, it was, but I found something else as well'

The doctor pulled the fluorescent light attached to the roof down just above the inside of the boy's arm so the detectives could get a better look.

'A needle mark' Olivia said, shaking her head slowly.

'Yep. And it's fresh. I ran a tox screen and guess what I came up with' Warner reached behind her to retrieve a folder form a desk and handed it to Elliot.

'Heroin' He exclaimed, eyes on the page in front of him.

'He had enough in his system to knock out a horse, let alone a seven year old child' the doctor solemnly informed the shocked detectives in front of her.

'The bastard had a prior for possession' Elliot said hotly, no need to explain whom he meant.

'That's why there was no struggle at the scene' Olivia added, touching her partner gently on the elbow in an attempt to calm him down. 'So what's our murder weapon?'

'Hard to say considering the mess, but I'm guessing something heavy and large, most likely a statue or a rock or something of that shape. And it was definitely made by someone significantly taller than the victim, as the blow landed on the top of his head rather than on the back'

No one spoke for a few dark moments while this information was digested.

'Thanks' Olivia spoke, breaking the silence. 'Let us know if the autopsy turns up anything else'

'Will do' Warner replied, pulling the sheet back over the corpse.

Elliot led the way back through the door.

'Kid never even had a chance' he fumed, speaking to Olivia and himself at the same time.

And he was right.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Keep those reviews coming...**

'No! We are not offering a reward…….fine then, hang u-. Dammit!' Munch slammed down the phone punched the desk with his fist in frustration.

He suppressed a laugh when he saw his fellow detective growing redder and redder at the desk next to him.

'Do you speak any English at all?...No….stop. I don't speak Spanish!' Elliot spoke into the receiver, trying to keep his cool. He was having trouble doing so.

The entire squad had been run off their feet for the past two hours with possible sighting tips since the police commissioner had gone public with a photo of their possible perp, Rodger Phelps.

'I know these tips are sposed' to have been reviewed for _some_ sort of credibility before they make it to us, but seriously….' Elliot complained, writing angrily in a file before adding it to a mile-high stack next to him.

'I can't believe how many calls we got' Olivia said to him, eyes on the file in front of her

'I know. I just hope we come up with something soon' he replied 'I mean, he's been on the run since yesterday afternoon and it's now two. That's almost twenty-four hours!'

'He's probably in Mexico by now' Olivia mumbled before taking a long sip out of her coffee cup.

'Mexico?' Elliot questioned, looking at her from across the desk.

'That's where I'd go if I was a serial killer on the run'

She brushed her shoulder-length brown hair out of her eyes and leaned back in her chair, meeting his gaze.

Elliot felt his heart skip a beat.

She was giving him those eyes. If only she knew what effect that look had on him….

His train of thought suddenly crashed to a halt as Cragen burst through the door of his office, coat in one hand and a file in the other.

'We got him' he stated, the attention of all four detectives on him in an instant.

'What?' Elliot and Fin cried almost in unison, a look of disbelief on both their faces.

'How?' Olivia questioned cautiously.

'They're holding him just outside of Canton. He got pulled in two hours ago for gassing up and driving off'

'Unbelievable' Elliot said to no one in particular, shaking his head slowly.

'Where the hell is that?' Munch asked.

'Just on this side of the Canadian border. We're just lucky he's not smarter and got caught on this side or we'd never have seen him again'

'So much for Mexico' Elliot whispered to Olivia, earning himself a sharp kick from under the desk.

'Munch, Fin, go see if you can hurry CSU along. I'd like to have enough to build a case against Phelps _this_ century'

The pair nodded and where out the door in a few seconds.

'Stabler, Benson, get your stuff'

'Were we going, Cap?' Elliot asked, already making his way to the lockers.

'On a road trip'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'You can not make me believe it takes twenty-four hours to run a footprint through that little computer thingy' Munch stated to the female lab assistant sitting in front of him.

'It does when you're as backed up as us, detective. Are you aware that last year the government cut our funding for new staff by fifteen percent?'

Fin let out a sigh.

'You do _not_ want to get him started on the government, trust me'

Munch ignored his partner. 'Look. All we want to know is if it was a match to any of the shoes from the suspect's apartment'

'It was' was the reply he got.

'I thought you hadn't done it yet' Fin replied sarcastically, a look of annoyance on his face.

'No' the assistant retorted. 'I said I hadn't finished the report yet. I never said I hadn't run the print'

She got up and walked over to the other side of the room, taking a pair of black work boots out of a box.

'These are the shoes from the suspect's apartment' she stated before picking up a sheet of paper and holding it up. 'This is the print found in the victim's blood at the crime scene. Perfect match, even the same size.'

'Son of a bitch' Fin breathed.

'Thanks. Get back to us if you find something else' Munch stated, already starting towards the door.

'Sure' the lab assistant replied, already back at her desk and engrossed in the screen in front of her.


	4. Chapter 4

'Even if the fingerprints at the scene do match Phelps, that gives us nothing. It's not even circumstantial, the perp does live in the house we found the body in' Elliot stated mater-of-factly, hands on the steering wheel and eyes fixed on the road in front of him.

'We keep talking like Phelps actually _is _our perp. How are you so sure?' Olivia questioned in a tone a little to challenging for her partner to let pass by.

'He is. Trust me' Elliot replied, clenching his jaw slightly.

'What, were you there or something?'

'So you're telling me its pure coincidence that two days after Toby witnesses the murder of his big brother, he too winds up dead in the very house the man who killed his brother lives in?'

'How do you even know that it was the step-father?' she shot back.

Olivia was getting fired up. Elliot loved it.

'Come on. You are _not_ telling me you don't think it was Phelps. He abused the mother, probably even the kids!' He glanced at her reflection in the rear vision mirror.

Even though Elliot hated it when she challenged his opinion, he always thought she looked sexiest when she was angry.

'Then why did she leave them with him when she ran off to Philly, Stabler?'

'She was a freakin' druggo, Liv. Who knows?' Elliot argued, his voice getting louder and louder.

'Enough!' Cragen shouted from the passenger seat, looking up from his newspaper for the first time in what seemed like hours. 'If you kids can't shut up for two seconds…'

He was interrupted by the sharp ring of his cell phone.

'Cragen' he barked. 'Uh huh……..yep……..good. We're gonna need all the ammunition we can get…..thanks John, call me as soon as you get anything else'.

The captain snapped shut his phone and began to relay his conversation with Munch to Elliot and Olivia.

'Munch and Fin just got back from their second trip to the lab. He says CSU went over everything in the apartment with a magnifying glass and came up with blood on the base of a lamp. Matched the victims and it had Phelps' fingerprints all over it.'

'That's good, but still doesn't prove anything. It _was_ his lamp' Olivia pointed out form the back seat.

'Yes, but the fingerprints where actually in the blood' Cragen replied. 'That's our first price of solid evidence so far'

'So, what's our plan of attack, Cap?' Elliot asked, already thinking of the next hurdle to overcome.

'I'm having Huang meet us up there to help us get a read on the guy, but you've questioned him once. What's your opinion?'

'We only talked for a few minutes, but I got a pretty good idea' he begun. 'Not bright, but not dumb either. Clearly on some kind of drug, but he was smart enough not to give himself away. I think he has an anger problem.'

'The guilt must be eating away at him by now. He's probably dying to confess' Cragen said, unusually optimistic.

'But did run' Olivia pointed out.

'I don't care what happens as long as the bastard that did this gets a needle in the arm' Elliot stated, his eyes growing dark.

No one could argue with that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Here we are, Canton P.D' the Captain announced, pulling the car into an empty space in the lot of the police station.

'I can't believe how long it took from New York' Olivia stated, eyes still laden with sleep from her short nap.

'You had to stop twice for the bathroom in the last two hours, Olivia' Elliot replied

'Hey, it is _not_ my fault I had to go' she retorted, hitting him lightly on the arm.

'No, but it is your fault you drank so much at dinner'

Olivia ignored him.

'So, what are we gonna do? Find a hotel, sleep off the car trip……'

'Interrogate Phelps. Sleep will have to wait' Cragen replied, much to Olivia's dismay.

Even though it was obvious Rodger Phelps was not going anywhere, Elliot and Olivia both new why the Captain was eager to talk to him. If he turned out not to be their guy, they would be wasting valuable time sleeping while people back home in New York where still at risk.

As the trio where exiting the car, a short man with a prominent stomach wearing white shirt and slacks bumbled out of the front glass doors to meet them.

'Welcome to Canton' he exclaimed, waddling slightly as he walked towards them. 'I'm detective Torerro. Steve Torerro'.

The detective shook the hands of all three eagerly.

'I'm Donald Cragen. These are my detectives, Benson and Stabler' the captain introduced 'Special Victims'.

'Great to be of service to New York's finest'

Olivia suppressed a laugh.

'It's bigger than I expected' Elliot stated, glancing up at the large glass building before them.

'Yeah. A lot of people say that when they first come up here from the big apple'

This time Olivia couldn't help but let out a giggle at the manner of the jolly looking fellow standing before them.

He didn't seem to notice.

'We'd like to talk to Phelps straight away, if that's ok' Cragen told the detective. 'We're pretty eager to crack this case soon'

'Sure, sure. He's in an interrogation room right now' Detective Turerro said, starting towards the main entrance.

'Lawyer?' Cragen asked

'Doesn't want one. I know, pretty stupid, huh' He around slightly as he walked. 'Of course, we can't release him to you guys until you know you have a case. Can't risk him going free, you know. Petrol theft is a big problem around here, you understand'

Elliot and Olivia glanced at each other, both knowing exactly what the other was thinking.

'Of course' The Captain replied respectfully 'Our D.A Ms. Novak will take care of that'.

After a short walk into the main foyer of the building and an elevator trip up two floors they where led into the viewing room for a small interrogation room.

Peering through the one-way mirror, all three intently watched the middle-aged, slightly-built man dressed in an orange jump-suit sitting at the cold, steel table.

Suddenly, as if he could see through the glass, he turned his head sharply towards them, looking through the mirror.

It gave Elliot the creeps.

It was like he knew they were there.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: All those diehard EO fans out there strap yourselves in...**

'So why'd you do it?'

Olivia slammed the heavy steel door behind her and walked across the room towards its only other occupant, throwing her folder down on the table.

Silence.

'We know that you did do it. We have the evidence at our lab right now' she persisted, sitting down in the chair opposite the solemn-faced suspect.

Once again, she didn't get a reply. She was met only with an angry glare.

Her approach wasn't working and she knew it.

Leaning forward and softening her tone, she decided to try another tactic.

'Look, I know you didn't mean it. Their mother up and left you for another guy and dumped the kids on your door' she told Rodger Phelps in a soothing voice. 'If you tell us how it went down before the evidence does, I'm sure we can make a deal.'

'I have no idea what the _hell_ you are talking about lady'

'Sure? You can talk to me'.

Olivia slid her hand across the table and attempted to touch his in a reassuring manner.

Phelps jolted backwards and scowled, saying nothing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elliot studied Olivia as she looked towards them through the one-way mirror, dismay streaked across her face.

The captain had sent her in first to talk to Phelps with the hope he would be willing and ready to admit to murdering his two step-sons.

Of course, they had no such luck.

Cragen turned towards Elliot. 'Ok, so he's not gonna give this up easy. There has to be another way'

As he spoke, FBI psychiatrist George Huang walked through the door and into the cramped interrogation viewing room.

'Great. We need your opinion on this one, George. What do you think? Cragen spoke, motioning towards the pair through the window.

He leant forward and began to study the suspect.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'So, tell me about Jennifer' Olivia casually asked Phelps, leaning back in her chair and trying to make him keep eye contact.

Silence.

'Ok…….How about her boys? Do you get along?'

Silence.

'Where do you think they are right now?'

'Dead' he mumbled, looking down at the table, arms crossed.

_Progress_

'Why's that, Rodger' Olivia asked calmly, leaning forward, attempting to make a connection with the withdrawn man sitting before her.

He suddenly looked up, face red.

'Why the hell should I know? I'm in her for a freaking misdemeanor, not murder or whatever the hell you people are on about' He yelled, suddenly very angry. 'Why would I care anyway?'

Phelps stood up and glowered over Olivia. At that moment she heard a knock on the one-way mirror, signaling her immediate exit.

She stood up slowly, still keeping eye contact with their suspect, and walked calmly towards the door and back into the viewing room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'So, what's up doc?' Elliot asked Huang as his partner entered the room.

'Definite anger problem, that's for sure' he began, still looking through the window. 'I have a feeling he may be prone to sudden blow-ups. If he did kill the victims, he probably did it in the heat of the moment when something set him off'.

'Fits the profile' Olivia agreed, nodding her head. 'The first boy had over twenty stab wounds. He was a mess, the killer wasn't meticulous at all'

'And the weapon of choice for the second tells us the last one wasn't planned. He just grabbed the closest thing he could find' Elliot added.

'Exactly' Huang told the three.

'So how can we crack him, find out if he did really do it?' Cragen asked the doctor, straight to the point.

'Get him angry' He replied, turning his head towards Elliot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elliot stormed through the interrogation room door, Olivia hot on his heels.

'What made you do it' He demanded, not taking a seat but instead moving to lean over the suspect.

He was given no reply.

'Ok. I'm gonna tell you how this works' He said in an intimidating, low voice. 'My partner over there tried to play nice, gave you a chance to make it a whole lot better for yourself' he motioned to Olivia who was sitting in a chair, arms crossed, eyes fixed on Phelps. 'Now, we do it my way'.

Elliot pulled a metal chair from behind him and positioned it so he was sitting as close to the suspect as the corner of the table would allow him.

'We know you did it. We have fingerprints, DNA, motive. A jury's going to put you on death row without a second thought' he yelled, voice getting louder with each word.

'Motive' Phelps' spat out, the first statement he had made since the pair had entered the room.

He was getting angry.

'Motive? What motive would I have to kill those stupid kids?'

Olivia could see his jaw clenching and his fists getting tighter and tighter with each passing moment.

'That's right. Motive' she spoke in a tone as equally as intimidating as her partners.

'What'd they do? They annoyed you, huh? Kept needing stuff all the time. Damn kids' Elliot was getting up in Phelps' face, trying to get him going.

'Shut up!' the suspect yelled, putting his hands to his ears and sliding his chair backwards to escape the detectives glare.

Elliot continued.

'That bitch. She left them with you, threw them away to be with her lover boy. No one cared about them, why should you?'

'SHUT UP!' Phelps' yelled standing up.

'That's right, no one cared about them. But I did _not_ kill them!' he snarled.

Elliot too rose to his feet, Olivia poised on her chair to restrain either her partner or Phelps' at any moment.

'YES YOU DID' Elliot yelled, suddenly pushing the suspect across the room and up against a brick wall, holding him tightly by the shirt'

'NO!'

'Elliot!' Olivia barked, jumping to her feet.

'Do you know what they do to kid killers in prison, Rodger?' Elliot spoke through a clenched jaw. 'You won't even make it to your trial'

'ELLIOT! ENOUGH'

Ignoring his partner, Elliot continued to tighten his grip on Phelps'.

'ELLIOT! OUTSIDE NOW!' Olivia demanded, pulling him by the arm.

At that moment two officers and Cragen burst through the door.

Elliot released his grip on the suspect and moved for the exit, face red and fists clenched.

'Elliot' Olivia called after him, running to catch her partner.

He ignored her and made his way towards a stairwell, needing to get outside.

'Elliot! Stop!' she called, catching his arm as he entered the stairs.

He turned around sharply, his eyes dark with anger.

'What?' he demanded, suddenly drawing close to her.

For some reason in one instant she could not think of a single thing to say to the man she had worked with every day for so many years.

Olivia did not speak for a few minutes, searching her partner's eyes with hers.

'El….what….what was that in there?'

'What was what?' he replied in a tense whisper.

'_That_. We don't even know if he did it yet and you're ready to put him in a body-bag'.

She could see him growing angry again and gently touched him on the elbow.

Suddenly, his face softened.

Elliot put his hands firmly around Olivia's wrists and pushed her back against the stairwell wall.

She took in a sharp breath, unsure of what her partner was about to do.

He too searched her eyes for a moment, his dark with something Olivia had never seen before in this man she considered her best friend.

'El….' She spoke in a whisper, so quiet she was not sure if he had even heard her.

His body was now pressed up against hers, gently but with an assertive force at the same time.

Olivia could not tell if her heart was beating at a hundred miles an hour or not at all.

'Elliot' she spoke once again, frozen from his confident touch.

Her chest was flush against his, she could feel every breath he took.

Without warning, he pushed his mouth up against hers, kissing her hard and with more passion than Olivia had ever felt before.

How many times had this happened in her mind?

She had no choice but to kiss him back.

Suddenly, still without words, Elliot broke away, running his hands slowly down her back, shoulders, side.

He looked at her with those deep blue eyes for a few moments, Olivia staring back, unable to neither move nor speak.

_What the hell just happened?_

He turned away from her and began to walk down the stairs.

'Elliot….El' she called, her voice husky and the words almost catching in her throat.

He did not turn around.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Just a short update so all you dedicated readers can sleep at night...**

_What the hell have I done?_

He looked at her, sitting in the front seat like the goddess she was.

_She was the best thing in my life._

They had not made eye contact for hours, not spoken, not exchanged a glance since that moment in time.

_You son of a bitch, Elliot. At least she was in your life. Now you've even ruined any chance of that ever again._

Sure, Phelps had confessed. It was all done and dusted.

They should have been happy but all Elliot could think about was 'the kiss'.

The kiss that had turned his world upside down.

She had been his best friend.

_Shit._

She had been his only friend, the one thing that kept him going.

_Shit._

Elliot knew he had ended all that when he forced himself upon her.

_Shit Shit Shit._

Looking at Olivia from his position in the back seat, Elliot could not help but disappear to his thoughts, the world around him once again becoming a blur.

He watched her flick her hair over her shoulder, adjust her seatbelt, turn her head to look out the window.

With every small movement she made Elliot was taken back to that brief moment when she was all his.

The way her skin had felt to his touch, the way her body had fitted so perfectly with his, the sensation he had felt when he ran his hands down her side…..

'Elliot?'

It was Cragen.

'Elliot? You awake or what?'

'Y….yeah cap?'

Once again he had been ripped from his daydream.

'I said that even though I think I've seen it all, another sick bastard comes along and shocks me again'

'Yeah, I guess' he replied, still only half there.

'Even though it _was_ your little temper tantrum that pushed him to confess in the end, Stabler, I don't want to see another one anytime soon, heard?'

'Sorry'

_It was not a temper tantrum!_

'What do you think, Olivia?' Cragen asked her, turning his head slightly from the driver's side of the sedan.

'What….yeah, it was pretty good I guess' She too replied half-heartedly replied.

'Ok….is there something going on I should possibly know about?'

Silence.

'Benson? Stabler?'

'No' they quickly replied in unison, both desperate to get off the topic quickly.

With a sigh, the captain decided to leave them to themselves as it was obvious all the conversation on the car trip had so far been one sided on his part.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had happened.

How many times had Olivia silently wished it would?

Those longing gazes form across the desk, the desperate feeling of want that crossed her body every time she saw him move in the interrogation room.

Long stakeouts where she spent every second wishing she could reach out and touch him.

It had finally happened, but the aftermath was nothing like she had expected.

_What the hell is wrong with you, Olivia?_

She had wanted to say something, anything to let him know she had loved every second of their fiery encounter in the stairwell, but she couldn't.

That little voice in her head had crept in.

_He was angry, needed to get off on something. You just happened to be the only person around. Why would he want to be with you, anyway? _

How Olivia wished she could feel him again, have his lips on hers and his hands all over her body.

What could she say?

What if he regretted it? Never wanted to speak to her again, look at her again, touch her...

He was sitting right behind her, only a few feet away.

The very thought of him now being so close was making her tingle all over.

Still she was silent.

The awkwardness prevailed for the entire car trip home.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Will they or won't they?...PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!**

'Well, if it isn't our jet setting compadre's' Much exclaimed, looking up from his desk as the two detectives and Cragen walked through the door.

'There was nothing jet setting about it, John' Cragen replied in an exhausted tone 'Trust me'

'Anyway, it was all worth it to catch the bad guy, huh' Fin added, walking over to greet the returned trio.

'What's happening to the s.o.b now?'

'He's being extradited back here right now. I doubt his lawyer will advise him to risk his neck in court, though. With all the evidence _and_ a confession I doubt a jury's gonna give him a second thought' the captain informed them.

'So, how are things with our favorite couple?' Munch asked, referring to Elliot and Olivia who had so far been silent.

'What?' Elliot snapped, suddenly wide awake.

Olivia jolted her head towards her partner, eyes wide with alarm.

_What the hell has he said?_

'Our two favorite detectives, of course. Precinct hasn't been the same without you, y'know' Fin explained, seemingly not noticing the awkward situation his partner had unknowingly created.

Olivia had to keep herself from letting out a sigh of relief at Fin's words.

'So, what're we up to now?' Cragen asked Munch and Fin, ready to get straight back to business as usual.

'Just caught a rape-homicide down in Brooklyn. Chasing it up right now' Fin informed him, rushing to his desk to get back to work.

'You guys keep on it' he demanded, motioning to Munch and Fin. 'Elliot, Olivia, go home, get some rest. Be here at eight tomorrow'

Olivia heard Munch let out an exaggerated groan.

Ignoring him, she glanced quickly at her watch. 11:06pm. At least she could get some much needed sleep before getting back into the grind of special victims again.

Turning towards the door, she looked for Elliot.

_If I could just speak to him…_

He was already gone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elliot almost fell through his door with exhaustion as he turned the key in the lock.

He stopped as he entered his apartment and glanced around at the familiar surrounds.

Emptiness.

It was all he knew.

Sure, he got to see his kids on weekends, but it was never enough.

Walking to his kitchen and dumping the bag of semi-warm Chinese takeaway on the counter, he stopped and looked at his phone.

_No messages as usual._

Moving towards it, he picked up the handset and began to dial Olivia number, the only one apart from his he knew off by heart.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three.

He quickly hung up.

As much as he longed to hear her voice, he couldn't bear the thought of the words that would come out of her mouth.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Good morning' Cragen greeted Elliot, walking through the door of his office and handing him a large cup of coffee.

'Thanks' Elliot took a long sip.

'What put you in such a good mood?' He questioned, surprised at the rare gesture of good-will from his boss.

'Do you want to keep that or not?' retorted Cragen, somewhat back to his usual personality.

'Good. Liv's here. Everyone, my office now' he yelled, already through the door.

'Get any sleep John?' Elliot questioned his rumpled colleague as they moved towards the captain's office.

'If you count twenty minutes passed out on my desk before my beloved partner over there came up and flicked me on the ear then yes, Elliot, I did sleep last night'

Elliot held his hands up in the air and moved away to the other side of the small office.

Olivia was last of the team to enter. She casually walked across the room and leaned on the wall beside Elliot.

He couldn't help but notice how great she looked in the black pants she was wearing.

_Stop staring! She already thinks you're a perverted creep, Elliot!_

'Ok. So thanks to the all-nighter John and Fin pulled last night, we have made quiet a dent in our latest case' Cragen spoke up, his four detectives immediately becoming silent.

He walked over to the white-board and stuck a up a picture of a young, brunette girl.

'Cassie Fellowes. Seventeen. Found murdered near the Williamsburg bridge in Brooklyn yesterday afternoon' He stated.

'Five stab wounds in total. Two to the back, one to the chest and some defensive wounds on her hands'

Munch piped in. 'We've interviewed her family and friends. As far as we can tell she was the perfect daughter, student, friend. Lived on the upper-east side with her parents'

'What was she doing in Brooklyn?' Olivia asked.

'Still trying to work that out. According to a friend she broke up with her boyfriend a week ago. Some college punk from Queens' Fin replied, leaning against a desk.

'Good work' Cragen complimented. 'Munch, Fin, go down to the ME's and see what they've come up with. Stabler, Benson, go talk to this boyfriend. Name's Robert Goodwin, staying on campus at NYU'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Traffics a bitch' Olivia stated, eyes on the road ahead, attempting to break the uncomfortable silence that had so far plagued their morning.

'Yeah'

'Get much sleep last night?' she asked

'I guess'

_Danm you Elliot! Say somehting to me!_

'Spoken to the kids lately?'

'Yeah, just quickly last night'

He kept his hands on the wheel and his eyes fixed forward.

She had to say something, find out what was going on inside his mind.

'Elliot……'

Silence.

'El….about what happened yesterday…..'

She looked in his direction and could see him becoming agitated.

'I'm sorry' he replied in a voice so low it was barely audible.

'Wh…what?'

'I said I'm sorry. I was a real jerk, Liv'

Olivia could see his knuckled becoming white against the steering wheel.

They stopped at a traffic light.

'Why where you a jerk?' she questioned in a soft tone, turning to face him.

'I…I didn't give you a chance to say no, to walk away' Elliot replied, still not looking her in the eye.

'Why would I want to say no?' she said in a small voice, almost a whisper.

Her partner turned to face her, his eyes once again dark with emotion.

'We're here' he stated before turning back around, opening his door and getting out of the car.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Went on a week-long writing binge...Sorry chapters are coming out so rapidly (just make sure you read them ALL, hear me?)**

He was running.

It was raining but he didn't care.

The only thing running through his mind was her words to him in the car.

'_Why would I want to say no?'_

He was nearly at Olivia's apartment building now.

Elliot had no idea what he was going to do or say. The only thing he was sure of was that he needed to know if she felt the same way as him.

He pressed the buzzer.

_Why am I here? _

Another buzz.

_That's it, I'm going. She's not even home…_

'Elliot?' crackled the voice through the intercom.

He hadn't even said his name yet.

'Liv it's me. Open up!' he shouted over the rain, desperate to get inside.

She buzzed him up.

Before he knew it he was at her door, poised to knock when she opened it.

'El….Elliot…you're wet' she stammered, opening the door to her apartment wider.

_She looks so damn hot right now wearing just a tank top and shorts…….._

_Say something! Snap out of it!_

He didn't say anything at all.

Suddenly he was pushing her back through her door and up against a wall.

His lips meshed into hers, his hands were all over her body, his wet clothes soaking her too.

_Stop!!_

Elliot pulled away.

'I…I'm sorry' he stated, looking down at the ground.

It took Olivia a few moments to catch her breath.

'For what?' She breathed, threading her arms around his strong waist and attempting to pull him back into her.

This time she kissed him, harder than he had her if that was even possible.

Once again he broke away, breathing heavily, leaving her desperate for more.

'Are you sure you want this, Olivia?'

She ran her hands down his muscular back.

'Stabler, I have wanted this…..wanted you...since our first day on the job'

He looked at her.

_Holy crap! She's giving me bedroom eyes! Olivia Benson is giving me bedroom eyes!_

He kissed her again furiously.

'This is so wrong, Liv!'

Another kiss.

'Partners are not supposed to date……If Cragen found out about this….'

Olivia cut him off.

'Who said anything about dating, El. Lets just see where this goes first and _then_ worry about Cragen….'

Elliot finally gave in to her seductive reasoning and grasped onto her hips and pulled her into him.

He brushed his lips up against hers and smiled dangerously.

'See where this goes…..' He said in a devilish manner. 'I think I can take a guess where it may go right now'

He kissed her on the neck, slow and teasingly.

'And where would that be, detective?' she purred, almost melting to his strong touch.

Somehow with that one statement Elliot was driven wilder than he had ever been in his entire life.

'Come with me and find out' he growled, dragging her by one arm down the narrow hall and towards her bedroom.


	9. Chapter 9

'John. What've you got?' Cragen demanded, walking briskly into the squad-area, morning coffee in one hand and coat in the other.

'Still waiting for a call from the lab. Fin's down at the morgue right now' he replied, looking up from the computer screen in-front of him.

The captain continued towards his office.

'How did the interview with the ex go?'

'Stabler said nothing suspicious there, just the standard creep of a teenage boy who couldn't keep it in his pants long enough to….'

The captain cut him off. 'That's enough information, John…..where the hell are Elliot and Olivia anyway? It's ten past nine!'

Munch rolled his eyes. "I'll give them a call'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was ten past nine.

That was the first thing that Olivia noticed when she woke up to the sunlight streaming through her window and glanced at the digital clock beside her bed.

The second thing she had a realization of was the heavy weight across her middle.

She turned her head around.

_Holy shit!_

It was Elliot.

_Elliot!_

She stiffled a shriek.

_Elliot Stabler is naked in my bed! Naked!_

She tried to roll over.

_I'm naked!_

It was then she remembered the events of the night before and couldn't help but let out a satisfied grin.

Olivia looked at him, still sleeping on his stomach, arm wrapped around her waist, breathing steadily.

_What the hell have I done?_

She didn't move.

No matter how hard she tried to feel angry, embarrassed, guilty about what had happened she couldn't.

All she could feel was satisfaction that she had finally allowed herself to do what she had wanted, no _needed_ to do for so many years.

She slipped out from under his grip and threw her legs over the side of the bed.

_I cannot believe I just had sex with Elliot! _

She picked up her underpants from the floor and began to dress.

_SEX! _

Olivia smiled, putting on her bra.

_WITH ELLIOT!_

'Good morning' came a low voice from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder from her position on the side of the bed.

Olivia tried to hide an embarrassed blush when she discovered he had been watching her for quite some time.

Elliot reached out and touched her hair. 'No regrets?'

Olivia smiled slightly. 'Not yet'

'Good' suddenly that dangerous Stabler grin returned.

He pulled her back down onto the bed and began to tickle her sides, showing no mercy.

'Ell..ll..iiot! STOP!' she squealed, wrestling him down so she was now straddling his waist.

Olivia made eye contact for a moment before quickly sinking her teeth into her partners shoulder.

'Hey! That's cheating!' he growled, trying to pry her off him by her hips.

Their game was interrupted when the shrill ring of a cell phone cut through the room.

Olivia half disappeared off the bed and retrieved her phone from its position on the floor before bobbing back up.

'Benson' she answered, tone once again back on the job.

Elliot leaned over her shoulder and began to kiss his way up her neck, his hands slowly working to remove her bra.

'John!' she stated, grabbing one of his wrists and trying to stop his current activities.

He kept going.

'Yeah……I know….had a late one last night. We'll be right in'

_Crap. 'We'?_

'No….sorry. I meant 'me'. I'll call him though if you want me too' Olivia spun around, balancing on her knees, and tried to hit Elliot in the stomach.

'K. See you soon'

She snapped her phone shut before throwing it onto the bed.

'Cragen's pissed' she stated, looking Elliot in the eye.

He slid an arm around her back.

'Cragen's always pissed, Liv'

'I know' she sighed, flopping back down onto the bed below, Elliot joining her. She moved into his warm embrace, gazing up at the roof.

'What are we doing, El?'

'What? Right now?'

'No!...I mean yes. What are _we_ doing?'

It was Elliot's turn to sigh.

'Why does everything have to be so calculated, Olivia? Does it matter where this goes?'

'No, I guess…'

He cut her off. 'Did you enjoy last night?'

'Hell yes' she responded with a giggle, feeling like she was a teenage girl back at school.

'Then who cares?' he reasoned before kissing her hair softly.

Silence reigned for a few minutes.

'Elliot….' Olivia began.

'Yes…'

'Can we, you know, not use the 'D' word right now?'

Elliot suppressed a laugh at his partner's cautious tone.

'The 'D' word?' he questioned with amusement in his voice.

'You know……_Dating_?'

He turned his head to look at her.

'Ok…..I guess….mind if I ask _why_?'

She touched him on the arm.

'Come on, Elliot. You know me. I have a pretty bad track record when it comes to dating'

He stopped himself from nodding with agreement.

'Fine. Friends?' he asked, sitting up and leaning over her, holding out his hand.

Olivia leaned up and kissed him passionately on the mouth and then pulled back.

'With Benefits' she added, before moving in again.


End file.
